Cruiser
Not to be confused with the Imperial Naginata Cruiser. "Fire the main guns! Friendlies in Danger Close!" :- Arnold Torre, Captain of the USS Fearless, and former Allied Rear Admiral Tactical Analysis * That'll cut'cha back down to size: The Cruiser is the pinnacle of shore bombardment, in strength if not in accuracy. A commander can anchor the Cruiser on the shore of an enemy-held area and let it fire its guns until the enemy is dust. * Son, I'm gonna blow that ship of yours out of the water: The Jutland-class was also designed to use armor piercing shells for ship to ship combat. Though ineffective for bombardment, a direct hit from a 15 inch shell will take just about any ship out of commission. * Can't hit the broad side of a barn door: Unfortunately, the Cruiser isn't the most accurate of ships. Anything hit will explode well enough, but hitting is the hard part. Aircraft are also a problem. * Sometimes you just need a little more gun: Cruiser crews are mostly rookies, but once they become familiar with their ship, they'll be able to add auxililary turrets that the Cruiser was designed for but never implemented with. Operational History The Jutland-class Battlecruiser, or Cruiser as it is commonly known, was a sneaky way to keep British guns on the seas in spite of the Treaty of Versailles. Its operational weight is almost the exact weight that was allowed (legend goes that HMS Jutland needed to throw its mattresses overboard to save weight), and using as much of that weight as weapons. This was similar to the Germans' "pocket" battleships, but unlike them the British could build much more. Soon, the British regained their place as ruler of the seas with an entire fleet of these speedy, powerful ships, and would play a critical part when WWII broke out. The Cruisers were one of the first responders in WWII, attacking Soviet ships attempting to break out of the North Sea, and only the Soviet Potemkin-class and Dreadnought-class battleships were able to stand up to it. Until widespread submarine deployment, the Jutland would smash any Soviet presence foolish enough to show themselves near the ocean. Even afterward the Cruiser anchored Allied fleets wherever they went, and with proper escorts were nearly invincible, destroying anything the Soviets had. Of the many "official" reasons as to why the Allies won against such odds, the Jutland-class and the naval superiority it provided is the most popular. Even after the war, the Cruiser was a lynchpin of Allied naval operations. While rapidly being eclipsed by Aircraft Carriers like the ''Von Esling''-class, there were few better ways to fling metal into Soviet bases. In WWIII they provided fire support to many operations, and provided escorts to convoys. Even now, many are in active duty, but an unsettling trend is happening; many of these ships are committing mutiny. Worse still, they're joining the fledgling Confederate Navy in the United States. The causes of this are many. Some crewmen and officers are simply too loyal to the United States to serve with the Allies anymore, and Cruisers are some of the most heavily manned ships in the Navy. A few believe all cruisers are due to be mothballed, and want to take the ships out in a blaze of glory. Most prevalent, though, is a sense of resentment over how the Allies "threw away" so many American Pennsylvania-class battleships in the Pacific during WWIII, many of which the Japanese destroyed. Regardless of why the mutinies did happen, with any loyalists left put on lifeboats. This means the Cruisers are woefully undermanned, but many Confederate recruits have replaced them, and experience shows that the Confederates are very quick learners. Famous Ships The USS Jacqueline is the flagship of the Confederate Navy. The Jacqueline is actually a Pennslyvania-class battleship, a larger, even more heavily armed American battleship, and the only one to serve the Confederate Navy. The USS Jefferson Davis has so far eluded the Allies' attempts to track her down, due to most intelligence pointing out that its port is actually in New Orleans. The Jefferson Davis provides much of the fire support for the Confederates in the Gulf of Mexico, and many a Confederate ambush has started with a salvo from its guns. The USS Mustang, instead of staying near America, travels across the world, using its modified engines to stay one step ahead of pursuing Allied forces. Its preferred targets are any Allied military targets it can get away with attacking. Ironically, as the Allies are looking mostly for Soviet submarines, a Confederate ship can get closer than one might think. The USS Mustang has no hesitations about attacking Soviet targets as well, and many incidents that might have led to war (which is what some elements of the Confederates want) have happened. The USS Mustang uses any port of call it can find, from tiny ports operated by civilian sympathizers to the massive harbours of the Mediterranean Syndicate. Stationed along the northern part of the West Coast, the Cold Reception provides support to Confederate operations along the coast. Forced to deal with potential threats from the Allies, Soviet Union and the Japanese; its crew are considered second to none in terms of skill and combat experience among the Rebel navy. Originally stationed along the southern part of the East Coast and responsible for many sinkings of Allied ships, she was heavily damaged in a botched ambush on a seemingly unarmed Allied supply convoy. She is currently in drydocks disguised as a container ship as she undergoes repairs. Stationed along the Northwest coast, the Oregon's primary role is to provide fire support for the West Coast, though it has a difficult time of it due to a strong Allied naval presence. However, when damaged it can call upon some of the best engineers at UC Berkeley for assistance and can be back on the sea quicker than the Allies can disable it. The Oregon is the sister ship to the Montana. The Montana is able to avoid Allied resistance due to not being in the United States at all, as the town of Guerro Negro in Baja California is fiercely loyal to the Confederate cause and can provide a nearby anchorage and supplies. The Montana is able to menace Allied sites in South America, though just as often is on call for operations in California. Behind the Scenes *Remember the Cruiser from Red Alert 1? Category:Units Category:Units Originating from the United Kingdom